i just hope they dispense with the "ultra realism" that has plagued the new films and made them very unenjoyable for me. i was never able to get into the nolan movies because of this which i consider one of the huge flaws of the recent series. im glad its over now, but i hope the next series "reboot" goes the more comic book route and possibly do what tim burton did, a nice even blend of realism and comic book kookiness that one expects from a comic book movie, not a law and order wannabe.

Is that what you saw in the dark knight trilogy??? A law and order wannabe?

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"After they killed me, I became something much, much worse. The stuff nightmares are made of. The children still feared me, and their fear gave me the power to invade their dreams, and that's when the fun REALLY began"

yes, pretty much. and CSI too. i just couldnt get into them. i had a friend once that said "the dark knight is the best CSI episode that never was". thats pretty much how i feel about the whole thing. i want a return to the comic book style and bring the fun back to the series. the marvel movies seem to be doing a good job of blending realism and comic book silliness, why cant they do the same with batman? make the movies true blockbusters again, not this heavy handed pretentious stuff.

* A style that resembles BTAS and the Arkham games much more. It shouldn't be lighter at all, it should be grim dark and mysterious but in a way that differs alot from Nolan's films.

* Not being afraid to use Joker again in this new series. Heath Ledger was awesome in every way. But I still missed some characteristics that I love in Mark Hamill's Joker that I want to see on the big screen. More crazy, more maniacal laughs, more grim events etc. Joker isn't perfected yet to me. I don't think the people behind these new films should think too much about respecting Ledger's work. You can show respect while having your own version as well. He is Batman's arch enemy, you HAVE to use him at some point.

i honestly dont care much for ledgers pedestrian interpretation. i want something for akin to what nicholson did with the role. wild, over the top, the joker gadgets and clown-inspired crimes like in the comics the crazy outfits, etc. i want THAT joker back, not the nolan-ized one with the greasy hair, painted on makeup etc. that was fine i suppose for a "different" movie version, but it was just too wildly different for me. but the comics version is the best, and i have yet to see anyone beat nicholson in that regard. im hopeing if there is ever a another joker, they will be more like the comics, the clean cut look. until then, nicholson is and always probably will be #1 in my book. but i doubt we will see another joker for some time.

Joker will be used again. I don't think they should use him in the first film though. I hope not atlest. It has nothing to do with Ledger, either. It's just that at some point, it winds up looking like Batman literally has no other villains in his rouges gallery.

I think that's probably why they shouldn't start off with the Joker in the first movie. If they can set up the new series, show off the different rules that series will play by, you kinda prepare people for what will need to be different from Ledger's Joker. If we've got a more gadget heavy series, for example, maybe show that off in the first film.

i just hope they dispense with the "ultra realism" that has plagued the new films and made them very unenjoyable for me. i was never able to get into the nolan movies because of this which i consider one of the huge flaws of the recent series. im glad its over now, but i hope the next series "reboot" goes the more comic book route and possibly do what tim burton did, a nice even blend of realism and comic book kookiness that one expects from a comic book movie, not a law and order wannabe.

The judicial system was a fundamental element to Nolan's trilogy, yes, but it should have always been a fundamental element anyways to set up Harvey Dent who is the District Attorney. And there had to be some set up beforehand in BB to use Dent in a later installment with DA Finch and what have you.

The next reboot should definitely low the tone of the "ultra realism", sure, but I don't see how something necessary makes Nolan's trilogy feel like some law and order wannabe.

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Originally Posted by theman

yes, pretty much. and CSI too. i just couldnt get into them. i had a friend once that said "the dark knight is the best CSI episode that never was". thats pretty much how i feel about the whole thing. i want a return to the comic book style and bring the fun back to the series. the marvel movies seem to be doing a good job of blending realism and comic book silliness, why cant they do the same with batman? make the movies true blockbusters again, not this heavy handed pretentious stuff.

The Dark Knight trilogy was great, and it will be a hard thing to top. I must admit it is my favorite representation of the character in any media, surpassing perhaps the Bruce Timm animated series. But that is my opinion.

However, if the goal is to make Batman compatible with the Justice League, the logical thing to do for the next films to succeed is to take a more fantastical, science fiction tone, without forgetting the more realistic aspects of the character. Taking into account that a Justice League film is apparently the goal , some points:

-Set up the world. The hardest part of this. They must create a universe in which superpowered aliens, amazon warriors, intergalactic cops, could exist, even if it is not mentioned. Establish the rules, set up a new Gotham City, and build Batman characters around it. Once this is done, everything should be easier to connect.

- An origin story would be out of place. Setting up Batman as already taking care of Gotham should be the way to go. Suggest that he already had some major confrontations with the more prominent members of the rogues gallery, his relationship with Gordon and the police already established.

- The Batman family. For the Robin's, this could be a problem, since the very idea of Batman taking a young kid to missions against the mob and super villians is very irresponsible in the first place. But, Bruce role as a surrogate father for, let's say Dick Grayson, is a very interesting aspect of his character. Having Bruce training him so so one day Dick's take on the mantle of Robin. Or, since we are talking of an older Batman, imply all of these, and also the fall out so he can be Nightwing already. In order for other Robins to succeed they must show efficiently that a Robin is capable of all these crime fighting stuff. It must have some development or at least imply it efficiently, in order to avoid the problems the character of Robin had in Forever and Batman & Robin. Bring some new characters like Dr Leslie Thompkins, establish new dynamics between them.

-The rogues gallery. There are so many great characters in the pantheon of Batman villians that could be used, but maybe the most wise choice is to take the unused villians in all other films. As pointed out, Killer Croc, Clayface, Man-Bat, Hugo Strange, the Ventriloquist and Scarface, Black Mask, Deadshot, The Mad Hatter could work in some way or another. It doesn't have to be a whole movie dedicated to them, it depends on the story. Also some of the villians of the other films should have another shot. The Riddler, the Penguin, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy should have more prominence, even they could set up a story with them as main villians in their own films. These four can handle a film on their own, but without forgetting the others, it has to do with the next point. Build up to the big baddies, and bring them in a way that is compatible to the world.

-The story. It is important if they want to tackle a more "comic book oriented" approach that the films have a good story, with good characters dynamics. I mean, don't have cameos for cameos sake, set up characters for further stories, lay a plan. Let's have an ongoing mystery or master plan, developed in a set of films, in a way that you can have these characters interact, and develop them. Keep us invested in the characters.

A good template could be Batman: The Animated Series, and the entire animated universe for that matter. It is hard for me to think of these stuff, since the way Nolan and company did things was my cup of tea, but with a compelling and rich world as Batman's is, there are so many things that can be done.

Honestly if I had it my way, I would let Batman rest for some time, develop other important characters the way Nolan did it with Batman. Taking taking the core of them, respect the mythos, take them into new directions, and make them fly. I would rather develop these movies as separate things, having their unique dynamic and themes.

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A hero can be anyone.Even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a young boy's shoulders to let him know that the world hadn't ended.

"After they killed me, I became something much, much worse. The stuff nightmares are made of. The children still feared me, and their fear gave me the power to invade their dreams, and that's when the fun REALLY began"

I wasn't at all impressed with Nicholson's crap interpretation. He's just a goofy attention whore without a single shred of intimidating presence.

Ledger acted circles around him.

I won't argue which interpretation was better (that's apples and oranges). But as far as acting is concerned, Ledger completely disappeared into the role, whereas nicholoson was just nicholoson with clown makeup. Ledger wins hands down as far as the acting ability.

They should return the suit to it's grey color, and make it more simple in nature.

They should also focus on the detective aspect of batman in this series rather than his fighting skills.

They should include the Tim drake version of robin to supplement the detective story line, and give him a decent origin story.

The villains should be a mix of batman villains, but also have justice league tie ins. I'd love to see lex luthor in a minor role, as well as Harley Quinn as setup for the new joker. Main villain could be someone who can tie Quinn and Luthor together. Like the Preston Payne version of clayface, whose star labs could be funded in part by lex luthor, but also tie in with Quinn when his mental health begins to slip.

They should dial down the playboy aspect of Bruce Wayne and make him more of a businessman, having Wayne enterprises connected to scientific research.

Batman should have plenty of toys, but not over the top stuff. A sleeker bat mobile that is more fun than function.

I want to see a bit more of an increase in the Detective side. That's one part that we've unfortunately not really seen in the live-action films. In regards to the fantastical approach, I'm mixed on it. The only tone where I think it could work is if it's in a similar vein to the Arkham series. There's a sense of heightened reality with that series with room for the fantastical. It really works.

I think it's also time for Robin to make his return IMO. It's a tricky thing to manage but if they really focus on the father figure aspect of their relationship, then we may have something special that could work. I think someone like Black Mask whose a mix between both the mob and the freaks would be an interesting fit for the film. And yeah, start it off with Batman being active for at least 2-3 years. They should also keep the story focused on Bruce, then Robin.

I want to see a bit more of an increase in the Detective side. That's one part that we've unfortunately not really seen in the live-action films. In regards to the fantastical approach, I'm mixed on it. The only tone where I think it could work is if it's in a similar vein to the Arkham series. There's a sense of heightened reality with that series with room for the fantastical. It really works.

I think it's also time for Robin to make his return IMO. It's a tricky thing to manage but if they really focus on the father figure aspect of their relationship, then we may have something special that could work. I think someone like Black Mask whose a mix between both the mob and the freaks would be an interesting fit for the film. And yeah, start it off with Batman being active for at least 2-3 years. They should also keep the story focused on Bruce, then Robin.

I think Robin worked fairly well in the Arkham games. It might be nice to just skip his origin and have him as an already established agent of the Bat, like in the game. The hooded Red Robin costume works well too. They could explain his origin slightly through the course of the film rather than having a movie focused on it. He would have to be at least 18-22 though for it to work in a film.

More than anything though, I want to see Oracle. Or Batgirl. Just Barbara Gordon, really.

I would love to see a film that focuses solely on one villain, as that hasn't been done since '89.

Imagine having Mr. Freeze as the solo antagonist, with only the mob presence as the other criminal threat in Gotham. Have Freeze's origin and transformation from Dr. Fries into the monster he is, all in the quest to try and save his wife...show that he is willing to do ANYTHING necessary to bring her back, even to go so far as stealing, killing, maiming. Batman, on the other hand, can already be formed in his origins, but have constant callbacks to why he does what he does. Show that he is willing to put his life at risk, but only willing to do anything necessary short of killing. Make it a character study, a detective caper, the groundwork for a whole universe where the fantastic is commonplace.

Plant the seeds for the bat-family, have him rescue a young orphan Tim Drake, or bring it all back to the circus incident with Dick Grayson in order to have allusions to Bruce's losing his own parents. Don't make him Robin yet, don't bring in Batgirl until the third movie, let it all happen organically, with these characters existing in Gotham (Barbara, Grayson, Leslie Thompkins, Zucco, Dent, Harleen Quinzel, Bullock, Murdoch, Thorne, Falcone) but don't have anything 'jump the shark' until the new series calls for it, keep the main focus on Batman trying to stop Mr. Freeze from destroying the city in his quest to save his wife. Have him be taken seriously, and make him sympathetic in a way 'B&R' failed to...make the wait until a film introduces Joker that much more suspenseful, even include some future rogues as Wayne employees if you like (Man-Bat, Mad Hatter, Riddler) but let it all play out. You can switch out actors for Batman like the Bond series, but always keep a loose continuity within the Universe.